Classes

Course Description

This course examines the main factors that caused the collapse of the Soviet superpower at the end of the Cold War by situating the events of 1985-1991 in the wider context of Soviet history and post-1991 developments. Situated at the intersection of history and political science, this class aims to provide both the theoretical tools and the factual knowledge necessary to lead an independent and critical reflection on the Soviet disintegration process. At the end of the semester students should be able to assess the multiclausal explanations of the Soviet collapse and critically question the narratives that both media and policy makers use to make sense of these events today. The class will also encourage reflections on the similarities and differences between the methodological approaches employed by historians and political scientists.